1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to equipment for maintaining pneumatic tools and, more specifically, to to a pneumatic method and pneumatic equipment for effecting cleaning and lubrication of such tools.
2. Prior Art
In the construction, street maintenance and utility maintenance fields, pneumatic-tools have found widespread use. They are used for breaking pavement, drilling rocks, digging trenches and tamping soil prior to the laying of concrete on the surface of that soil. An example of a utility that finds widespread use for pneumatic-tools is Southern California Gas Company located in Los Angeles. However, its use of pneumatic-tools is not unique and utilities throughout the country utilize such tools to reduce labor costs in the maintenance of the utilities, particularly subterranian-located facilities of such utilities. In the course of use such pneumatic-tools collect sludge, grime and dirt from the sites in which they are used. As a result of such accumulations, the efficiency of operation of such tools is reduced and, in some cases, the operation may be totally stopped. In the past, equipment has been available which permitted, in a rudimentary and dangerous way, the flushing of each tool with No. 2 diesel oil to remove the sludge and other matters that tend to collect in the pneumatic-tools. Such equipment suffered from a number of serious deficiencies. For example, it was difficult to load the pneumatic-tool to be cleaned into the cleaning cabinet. Further, only one tool could be cleaned at a time and the controls were difficult to operate. In addition, the operator or operators of the prior art cleaning equipment were exposed to mists and vapors of the solvent utilized in the tool cleaner and concerns over these hazardous conditions have been expressed by employers and employees alike. Further, lubrication of the tools following cleaning was necessary but not automatic.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the general problems and disadvantages of the prior art devices.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a pneumatic-tool cleaner which operates solely off pneumatic power, it is completely automatic in its operation, will accommodate multiple pneumatic-tools and multiple types of pneumatic-tools, will not expose the operator or operators to any fumes during or after the cleaning process and will lubricate each tool after it has been cleaned.